


Stupid

by notcrindy



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, TWO CAKES!! :3, and thx to u Eden for being so rad abt it :3, but i kind of want to explore what it would be like for the twins if it couldn't, i've reduced Taako's mind to so much putty lately that it's Lup's turn, most def inspired by 'Feeblemind' by ToTillAGarden go check it out now please, so anyway this is a disgrace D&Dwise and i don't care, so like listen i know that Feeblemind can be cured right quick w some good ol cleric shit, sorry y'all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-03-14 09:34:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13587294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notcrindy/pseuds/notcrindy
Summary: There were a lot of problems with the current scenario.The first problem was that Feeblemind was a hell of a spell.The second problem was that Lup was already stupid without it.(Taako doubts he's the right person to care for his sister. He also doesn't trust anyone else to do it.)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Feeblemind](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13188000) by [ToTillAGarden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToTillAGarden/pseuds/ToTillAGarden). 



There were a lot of problems with the current scenario.

The first problem was that Feeblemind was a hell of a spell.

The second problem was that Lup was already stupid without it.

No, Taako corrected himself, even as he felt such an acidic pang of bitterness he almost worried it would swallow him whole. There were times, sure, for ribbing on your sister because she was an idiot. She was stupid when she decided to risk her own life for the wellbeing of other people; she was stupid when she decided denim jeans were the most attractive quality in a man; she was stupid when she decided that becoming a living firework was a good idea and not, you know, suicidally bad. Taako bared the brunt and weight of these problems because he loved her, because even though he didn’t always approve of her life choices, they were almost always the right ones for  _ her _ to make. She took ‘em all in stride, even as he fretted and worried and spat and cursed and tugged her along, and usually, people were better off in general because of them. Lup was stupid because she was reckless; she was stupid because she was heroic; she was triple stupid because she was romantic and dared to believe in overall Good.

But she was herself, she was unabashed, and he knew even as he resented her for this that she wouldn’t have wanted to take it back for the world. That, of course, led to the third problem, which was that Taako was all reared ‘n’ ready to take the hit and, honestly, he’d spent such a long time in a Voidfish static cling haze that he knew the loss of his mind wouldn’t’ve been too awful anyway. Barry was also ready to take a hit for  _ either _ of them; Istus knew the boy’d sacrifice himself anytime for anyone he loved, especially the Twins.

But Lup was too quick about it, too instinctive.

The rest of it all could’ve gone to shit and he wouldn’t’ve cared.  _ Didn’t _ care. Maybe other people were shouting things, things at him, things at her. He didn’t give a fuck. He made sure he was the first to get to her, and then he was the first to huddle over her, and he knew it was futile to say her name but he kept trying it, just in case. “Lulu,” he gasped, and part of him was relieved that everyone was  _ alive, _ but most of him wanted the entire world to get bent.

She noticed him. She knew who he was, and he knew enough to be able to tell. She hadn’t dropped the Umbra Staff, not once, and her knuckles were white and clenched over the handle. He could tell she was  _ trying _ to figure out what was going on; he watched her eyes, the same green as his, struggle to comprehend. But she couldn’t do it, which would start to frustrate her. She wasn’t gentle about it; she wasn’t  _ okay _ with it. She didn’t understand, but she knew enough that she spent the first little while on the defensive and tense.

“I know, right?” His voice was the quietest and gentlest anyone had ever heard, maybe. “It’s a crock of shit, but don’t worry. I got you.”

This wouldn’t comfort her, not at first. She knew everyone, which was good enough, but she  _ especially _ knew him. Even when she couldn’t process dick, even when she’d had her mind basically robbed from her, she could tell he was distressed. She kept shaking her head at him every time he tried to soothe her.  _ No. No. No. _

“I know,” he whispered, still cradling her. Nothing else mattered in the entire goddamn world. “I’m not surprised. Even like this, you’re smart enough to know when shit stinks. Taako’s not gonna lie to you; this one blows.”

The worst part about it all, though?

Lup was the one who always had it together.

She kept shaking her head, and he wished she’d just quiet down about it.  _ No, no, no, no, no. _ She couldn’t say it; couldn’t express it in any real way, but her fists hit against him soft and furious and she made little noises of displeasure because something was  _ wrong. _ Because his sister was so good that she  _ knew _ it wasn’t right; she  _ knew _ this shit was fucked up, but they couldn’t do anything about it right now. In the end, it boiled down to the same problem they’d always run into together, where she wasn’t willing to take any bullshit and she’d fight it ‘til the end, and he’d grab her hand and run. It’d take too long, he thought with a certain level of exhaustion, for her to let this one go.

But he wasn’t supposed to be the one to  _ do _ this part. It was supposed to hit him, and then she’d know how to treat him gentle and soft ‘til the next month. She’d be able to lead him along, fight for him, let him know it was gonna be okay. It’d suck for him to be so empty, sure, but he wouldn’t be able to miss what he didn’t have the capacity to understand. He wasn’t selfish enough to think that people wouldn’t  _ miss _ him or anything like that. Taako had a whole mess of family, even if sometimes he was reluctant about it, and contrary to what he projected to the outside world he would’ve rather died than taken that shit for granted. 

It didn’t matter. It still would’ve been better for them to lose him than Lup. Taako wasn’t gentle, not with children or animals or  _ anything. _ He was aloof and disaffected; he was reactive and biting; he was a poorly-placed goof in a serious situation. Angus was-- _ ugh _ \--vastly important to him, but even that made him feel uncertain and unsteady, and he kinda wished a lot of the time that the kid would imprint on literally anyone else. He wasn’t the one who kept it together; he wasn’t the one to reassure her with warm smiles. He’d steal for her, look out for her, act as a practical voice. He wasn’t--it wasn’t supposed to  _ be _ like--

Another well-timed smack from his sister, this one a little harder. “Hey,” he accused of her, rubbing his arm. “That one  _ smarts. _ I’m trying to figure this shit out, gimme a minute.”

He became aware that everyone was trying to move towards them to see how  _ they _ could help, and he whipped around to face them, ears flattened and angry. “I said  _ give _ me a minute.  _ You  _ all can comprehend words just  _ fine, _ huh?”

“Is she okay?” Barry asked, probably because he was hoping for a different answer. Taako couldn’t fault him for that one, but his patience was already pretty damn thin with just about everybody.

“Uh, what do you  _ think, _ Barry? Does she look  _ okay _ to you?”

“She looks asleep,” Magnus pointed out.

Taako turned back to find that her frustration at the entire situation had exhausted her. She’d basically cried hot and angry tears into him until she couldn’t do it anymore, curled into a defensive ball and clinging to his shirt.

He sighed, partially relieved that he wouldn’t have to watch her sob in anger anymore, and partially wondering how the fuck this was going to work. She was the physically  _ stronger _ of the twins, too, which meant that not only was the good hard punch to the arm she gave him gonna form a bruise later but that he was used to her being able to cart  _ him _ around whenever she wanted. Never the reverse.

“I swear to god, Lulu,” he groaned, doing his best to hoist her up onto his back piggyback style anyway. “When we get out of this mess, you owe me, and you owe me  _ big. _ ”

He wouldn’t let anyone else near her regardless.


	2. Chapter 1

If there was one thing Taako knew how to do, it was keep moving.

His back was aching something fierce after a little while, and he kept shifting uncomfortably, but he snapped at anyone who tried to offer their help. At this point, his irritation wasn’t discriminate; he treated them all as if they were a gigantic thorn in his side and ignored literally anyone’s words about anything.

Kravitz knew him well enough to be concerned, but also well enough to keep distance, and even then he had to get back to his Queen, at least, about what had happened with the other two. Taako barely responded when he took his leave. Lucretia was good at keeping distance too, which was great news to Taako because if there were anyone he just wasn’t ready to forgive yet for _anything_ it was her. But not everybody had their sense. Barry kept hovering anxiously, trailing them everywhere, asking him every five seconds if there were anything he could do. Magnus kept checking in with Taako to make sure if he didn’t want help with Lup because _really,_ lifting her was no problem to him, and Taako looked tired. Merle kept rifling through spellbooks to make sure there wasn’t anything that could be done, babbling to himself.

Only Davenport, actually, was Taako’s real friend. And that was just because if anything could be said for that guy, it was that he knew how and when to keep quiet and stoic. He managed to keep the rest of the group from grating too badly on the Twins’ nerves, because hey, they probably needed some space. It was Taako’s only saving grace. Come Candlenights, he’d have to get that guy some wicked sweet shit.

He most regretted bringing Angus, though.

It wasn’t that he didn’t love the kid--if anyone truly _believed_ he didn’t, then he was too good at bullshitting everyone. It was more that… ...well, fuck. He couldn’t afford to care about Angus witnessing something so awful on his birthday and the sleeping sister on his back all at once. Taako admired people who had such endless wells of care they could afford shit like that, but he couldn’t. The instant anything fucked with Lup, the rest of the world fell and faded away, no matter what.

So he couldn’t care about the kid beside them, even as he was looking at the two of them so thoughtfully, even as he seemed so concerned. It made him feel like shit, but he ignored Angus maybe _more_ than any of the rest of them, and focused instead on keeping his feet moving. She shifted and whimpered a little in her sleep; he must’ve murmured something reassuring, but he couldn’t care what. Didn’t care whether or not anyone was looking at him, or what they thought of him being so soft, or _anything._ It was just Taako and Lup against the world, the way it should’ve been.

The Felicity Wilds were vast, dark, and deep. Taako hated them.

He hated them even more when someone suggested that they had to stop. Maybe it was even Cap’n Dav, though, in which case Taako knew he couldn’t get away with ignoring that order for too long. He still tried, but enough of them persuaded him that he hesitantly sat down, shrugging Lup off of his back so she could lie down with her head in his lap, and they built a fire. Someone thought to bring snacks, which was good because everyone was getting a little hungry. Taako’d pretty much lost his appetite, stroking his sister’s hair and watching close over her.

When she rose, he started just a little, which meant that she started too. But it was easy to reassure her, and though she had been so upset before, she was mostly groggy with sleep now.

“Hey there, Lulu,” he said, still speaking in his softest voice. “How’s it goin’?”

She yawned loudly, and then immediately became transfixed on the fire, staring at it with an intensity that someone in her position shouldn’t have had, with all the blankness that made sense. She was captivated by it, leaning in too close, and Taako grabbed her hand quick and _yanked_ it back.

“Hey, hey, hey. _No._ ”

Lup blinked up at him, not understanding, and went to touch it again.

“Lulu, _no,_ ” he sighed, pulling her back again.

She stared up at him again, ears perked up in curiosity.

“Fire makes _ouchies,_ ” he tried to explain, even as he knew it wouldn’t do anything.

When she went to touch it a third time, he held her back as she whined, then mimed getting hurt himself. He couldn’t think of any other way to get it across. “ _Ouch,_ oh _no,_ ” he tried. “If only I hadn’t stuck my hand into the fire like a dumbass!”

She blinked at him, then at it, then his hand. Thankfully, in the end, she seemed to settle on Taako being more important than the campfire, grabbing his hand protectively and even glowering at the flames before snuggling into him. He relaxed almost instantaneously, praising her kind of softly under his breath and continuing to pet her hair sort of absent-mindedly.

“Hey, Lulu, you hungry?”

“I brought the makings for s’mores,” Lucretia finally spoke up, “if anyone would like--”

“That’s hardly _food,_ ” Taako hissed at her, ears flattened again. “But I mean fine, sure, whatever.”

Lucretia’s sigh was heavy, but she passed him the ingredients for the s’mores, and he wasted no time sticking a marshmallow on the end and holding it into the fire. This was kind of a stupid move since Lup immediately _started_ and tried to tug him back, but he soothed her best he could. “Hey, hey, no. Wait. Watch.”

He knew he had to be slow and careful about the way he lowered the stick with the marshmallow in, and then he had to be careful about blowing the fire out, watching Lup the whole time to make sure she was taking it all in and knew neither of them was in any kind of danger. He plucked the marshmallow off the stick and she started again, almost narrowing her eyes suspiciously, and he was careful to let her watch as he took the graham crackers and the chocolate and smashed it all together. Then, he took a small nibble, so she would know it was safe to eat. “See? S’mores. _Yum as hell,_ am I right?”

She blinked, tilting her head to the side, and then looked back at him for confirmation.

“ _Yum,_ ” he tried again. “Tasty for my tummy, yeah? You know Taako’s got you covered in _this_ department, sis.”

After a moment, she hesitantly grabbed the s’more and took a bite. Her eyes widened without any real understanding, but she must’ve known she liked it, because she finished it all off super fast, getting sticky and messy as could be. She looked up at him expectantly for more, and--fuck, this whole situation was so fucked up. This was his sister, his _older twin,_ not some doe-eyed innocent child, but that’s what she looked like. She looked like when they were kids, only… ...less comprehending even than that, and what the hell else was he supposed to do?

He sighed and started preparing her another s’more. The smile that spread across her face made it worth it, probably. “Yeah, don’t push your luck,” he grumbled. “‘cuz I’m eatin’ all the _rest._ ”

“You’re really good with her, sir,” Angus finally dared to speak up. “I--I mean, all things considered. I know it’s been hard for you today.”

Taako just stared at him at first.

“Um, d-don’t worry though,” he stammered, wringing his hands awkwardly. “Because you have all of us on your side, and we’re gonna get Miss Lup back to normal, sir.”

Taako sighed, staring more deeply into the fire than he would like to after helping Lup to her last s’more, which she ate greedily and jovially. Things were fucked up right now, but they were at enough of a lull that maybe he could afford to focus on the others for a few minutes. He thought about it for awhile, then grabbed another marshmallow. “This next one’s for you, kiddo.”

Ugh. It was almost sickening, the way the kid’s eyes just lit up. “I-I’m perfectly capable of making my own though, sir. Are you sure?”

“‘course I’m sure,” he huffed. “It’s for your _birthday,_ okay? Do I have to say it out loud?”

He beamed. “No, but you did, and I’m super appreciative!”

“Whatever,” he mumbled while resolving to make Angus the sickest s’more he could possibly make ever and sticking it into the fire. When it was done, he had to ward Lup’s enthusiastic hands away from it, and he was satisfied enough to watch his boy smile about it before turning his attention back to his sister.

They’d probably have to camp out, which sucked. Merle and Davenport took to it quick though, Magnus didn’t seem to mind, and Lucretia was the one who advised Angus to turn in.

Eventually, that left just Taako, Lup, and Barry. Lup was already dozing off again, clinging to Taako with all she had, and he barely took his eyes off her, not even flinching when Barry sat down beside them both.

“It’s hard, isn’t it?”

“What’s hard?” Taako asked, already super wary. “This bullshit? Naw. I’m taking care of it, easy.”

Barry smiled sadly. “No, I just--I just mean we just got her back, you know? The whole thing. And now she’s... ...like this.” He still stared at her with all the love in the world. Taako could tell, and though he goofed about Barry super often, it was shit like this that endeared him to Taako pretty much forever. Yeah, he had appalling taste in fashion; he had a mighty suspect taste in magic; he and Lup were basically a fucking disaster together, ‘cuz he couldn’t say no to her.

But he _loved_ her. There was no doubt about that. Definitely in a different way than Taako did, but maybe even just as much. It wasn’t even hard for him to come to that realization, back during the hundred years they’d lost; he’d watched it all play out agonizingly slowly, and he knew somehow they were okay. Somehow, Lup had landed herself a hell of a guy, and Taako was proud to be his friend, and he almost felt bad for snapping at him all day.

Almost.

That still was like, the number one topic he hadn’t wanted to think about or discuss, so thanks, Barry.

“She’ll be okay, though,” Taako answered, sounding more defensive than he wanted to.

“Yeah,” Barry confirmed, smiling softly. “She will, ‘cuz you’re looking out for her. But if you need any help, you let me know.”

“Thanks, Barry.”

“No prob.”

Neither of them slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is probably too short and dumb but i wanted to write something kind of... comforting?? bc i had a rly weird day today. and... idk i just wanted to write a nice camping scene i am sorry. ;A; better stuff later. thank u so much for being supportive still u guys!!!! i love u all <3


	3. Chapter 2

Unfortunately, a Taako deprived of sleep wasn’t really something the world needed today.

Hell, a Taako deprived of sleep wasn’t what  _ he _ needed today, and especially not what  _ Lulu  _ needed today. Nobody needed him to be groggy and grouchy, bags noticeable and horrible under his eyes, but it was how things shook out. Barry could feel for him, at least, but it didn’t actually make things much better when it was time to hit the road again and they were both so out of it.

It took Lup a moment to get going because she was busy staring at the spot where the fire had been last night, waiting for it to be so interesting again.

“There’s no more fire, goofus,” Taako muttered, tugging her along as gently as he could. “‘n’ I’m not gonna wait around for you. Let’s go.”

At least he didn’t have to haul her ass around on his back anymore. She kept getting distracted by little noises, little sounds and trying her best to protect Taako, but he just kept reassuring her that there was no reason to flip as he pulled her along. At some point, she started gravitating a little towards Barry, too, ears perked up and eyes concerned.

“Oh, uh, hey there, Lup,” Barry mumbled, smiling softly at her.

She looked back at Taako, then over at Barry, tremendously worried for the both of them.

Taako sighed. “He’s  _ fine, _ idiot. We just worried about  _ you _ all night, thank you very much.”

It was no use; nothing was getting through to her except the very basics, same as ever. She insisted on walking right  _ alongside _ Barry, though, keeping a close eye on both of them and holding both their hands. Eventually, she seemed to forget that she was worried at all, humming and making little joyful sounds as she walked along with her favorite people beside her. At least she was happy, Taako thought. Part of that was bitterness, sarcasm for sure, but there was another very real part of Taako which was sort of vaguely relieved that he didn’t have to worry about that.

Merle was flipping through and trying to find a spell, still, and it was starting to drive Taako up the goddamn wall. “I don’t understand,” he kept saying. “There’s  _ gotta _ be somethin’ a cleric can do in this situation…”

“Merle, if you say that combination of words one more time, I’m gonna have to play keepaway with that fuckin’ book, okay?” He was irritated, impatient, and he knew this just made his sister beside him worried, but for the moment he didn’t have any room to care. “If there were a solution in that book, y’know what? We would’ve  _ found _ it. And we would’ve found it  _ yesterday. _ Do something fuckin’  _ useful _ for once.”

“Taako, that was very rude.”

“Oh,  _ was _ it? Was it  _ very rude, _ Lu?” He felt Lup tense up even as she held his hand, but right now he was too goddamn tired and fed up with everything to care. “Uh, okay, let me run  _ this _ by you, see if this strikes you as rude: erasing the memory of my goddamn  _ twin sister. _ Is that just me, or is that a little  _ impolite? _ ”

“Taako.”

It didn’t matter who was saying his name or why. He didn’t,  _ couldn’t _ give a shit. “You know, you know,” he sputtered, rambling, “how about you run  _ that _ one by Emily fuckin’ Post, okay? See how that tastes. See how  _ that _ treats you, then get back to me.”

“ _ Taako. _ ”

“No,  _ no, _ ” he snapped, waving his free arm about. The rage inside of him was boiling over, and he couldn’t bring himself to care about anything else, too frazzled and furious to deal. “Look, I don’t  _ care, _ okay? My sister was  _ stolen _ from me--and I--and I didn’t even get to know it for  _ so long, _ and now I--I finally have her  _ back. _ ” There was a weird vulnerable tremor to his voice now, and he hated every second of it. “I finally have her back, and she’s like  _ this. _ So if you think I’m being too rude about that, I--”

“Taako, it’s  _ okay. _ We know you’re scared; we know this situation is awful, myself included. I--I’m deeply sorry for the past, but I can’t  _ change _ it.” Lucretia was getting a little too close for comfort, but she stopped just short of him, looking into his eyes. He flushed with anger and the knowledge that they were light blue and guilty and  _ sincere _ about it, ears drooping as he tried to look down at the floor. “But we can do our best to change the future. We can change  _ Lup’s future. _ If we all work together and devote all our time to this--”

“ _ All. _ Our time,” he emphasized. “‘Specially yours.”

“Yes, Taako,” she confirmed, straightening her glasses slightly. “I am committed to doing whatever it takes.”

“Good,” Taako said as he noticed Lup wandering off to look at and chase a butterfly and pulled her back.

“But you need to trust  _ us, _ too,” she continued softly. “Or we won’t get very far in solving this. You don’t have to handle this  _ alone. _ ”

“Okay, cool pep talk,” Taako murmured, partially distracted. Lup whined as he pulled her back a  _ second _ time. “Lulu, you dumbass, it’s just a  _ butterfly, _ okay? Those are a dime a dozen out here. We’ll probably see a  _ bunch  _ while we’re here in the World’s Worst Forest. Come  _ on. _ ”

When she turned to look at him with  _ anger _ in her eyes, such a curious mix of rage and  _ nothing, _ he stopped. She looked mad at him, for sure, but she also looked  _ hurt. _ He had to remember that it was like what Magnus said sometimes about animals; the only thing they had to go off of was your tone, ‘cuz they didn’t understand anything else. She didn’t know he was trying to keep her from danger, and she didn’t know why he was being grouchy, and the last thing he wanted to do was make life worse for  _ her, _ so he… ...softened a little. Tried to. Still didn’t come naturally to him, though.

“Look, I know that butterfly is  _ super _ neat and rad,” he began softly. “It’s such pretty colors and everything feels brand new to you kinda, huh? But like, right now? We need to keep moving. ‘cuz we need to go home. And I’m  _ tired, _ Lulu.” He looked her in the eyes, desperate and searching for something that wasn’t there. “I’m tired and I wanna be in my  _ bed. _ ”

This seemed to satisfy her, and she lost the anger and the hurt right quick, which was a mega relief. She turned her attention away from the butterfly and back to him, patting him sympathetically on the shoulder and then sticking like glue again to him and Barry for a while, content as ever again. He  _ visibly _ deflated with relief and was too exhausted to care about anything for a little while as they walked along.

“You both kinda look like shit,” Magnus remarked as he caught up with them a little ways.

Barry gave him a wary glance, adjusting his glasses in a way that made Lup giggle. “Gee, thanks, Magnus. Trying our hardest, here.”

“Not exactly the most  _ helpful _ feedback, Maggo,” Taako murmured.

“Lucretia’s  _ right, _ you know. I can take her for a little while if you guys want. I always did give the best piggyback rides, if you  _ remember. _ Huh, Lup? She knows.”

Lup blinked at him, not knowing anything but getting excited just by his voice. She looked  _ so _ excited about it that both of them eventually stopped and allowed it, letting Magnus hoist her easily upon his shoulders. She laughed as he ran a little ways ahead, pointing out neat critters and rocks and leaves and sticks as he went, and both Taako and Barry deflated and felt relief that neither of them wanted to voice aloud or admit to right that second.

With her in Magnus’s trusty care, Taako could adequately take stock of the rest of the group. Davenport was still silent and stoic for the most part, using a compass to help everyone navigate along; Merle was next to him, still poring over spellbooks and mumbling as Angus looked over his shoulder and gave input. Lucretia was keeping her distance sort of awkwardly from everyone.

What a group.

When they stopped again, it was to get lunch. No one felt particularly hungry except Lup, but she made it known when she was, whining and holding her stomach. The last thing Taako wanted to do was stop for  _ anything _ , but the pitiful look in her eyes got him again like a sucker, and pretty soon they’d found a river and he got to fishing up some grub. It was  _ hot _ out, so after he’d cooked a pretty decent meal by the fire and watched her eat that shit up, he doused the flame and then led her by hand into the water.

“I dunno if you even remember how to swim anymore,” he mused. “Well, I’m not about to teach you again, so just… ...keep hold of me or Mags, okay? Not Barry; he… ...he can’t swim worth shit.”

She just blinked up at him,  _ flinched and shrieked _ at the coldness of the water, then looked back at him for reassurance.

“Yeah, it’s… ...it’s cold. It’s wet, it’s water. I dunno what to tell you, sis.”

She refused to go in any further at first, so he sighed and led her by the hand, easily withstanding the temperature of the water and allowing it to honestly feel pretty good in the merciless heat. “See? No bigs. Cold, but no bigs. Feels pretty nice once you get used to it even.”

Lup stared at him more thoughtfully than anyone who wasn’t capable of thought should’ve been able to do before she ventured in with him, keeping a tight grip on his hand. After a second, he dunked his head under, keeping his hat on him and all. He’d be wet for awhile, but fuck if that didn’t feel  _ amazing _ and worth it. Water always relaxed him a little, even in a situation like this. “Now you try,” he urged.

She stared at the water,  _ dunked _ her head under, and then came right back up. He couldn’t help but smile a little at how she was just  _ grinning _ ear to ear at just how it felt, and it made him feel a little better, so--

\--so he  _ splashed _ her.

She was surprised, at first. Then she was angry and she splashed him right back.

So he splashed her again, laughing.

Lup wasn’t really having any fun with it until Magnus snuck up from behind Taako and  _ nailed _ him with water, and even managed to get Barry a little wet from his spot on dry land. That was  _ hilarious _ to her, and soon she was splashing  _ everyone _ over and over and laughing almost  _ maniacally _ about it. “Okay, okay,” Magnus eventually said, “no more! We surrender!”

“Yeah, we are--” She splashed Taako again and he got river water in his goddamn  _ mouth, _ spitting it out. “We are so  _ done _ with this game.”

“I dunno,” Merle said in the least helpful way ever, floating by, “I’ve kinda been having fun watching you guys.”

“Pcht. You  _ would. _ Okay, c’mon, Lulu. Gotta hit the road again.”

He helped her up out of the water and she was  _ shivering _ now, shivering so  _ pathetically _ like she’d never been cold before, or didn’t understand why she was. She leaned on him, but finding him to be just as cold as her, she instead gravitated towards poor Bluejeans, who had still managed to keep mostly dry. He didn’t mind, though, as she nuzzled into him contently and made herself warm, holding his hand tight as they walked along.

It was getting to be sunset again. They’d have to take another short rest, which Taako wasn’t  _ super _ stoked about, but Davenport made them all stop for the night and set up camp. This time, there was no s’mores or fire to speak of, but the area surrounding them became aglow with fireflies, which she found just as fascinating. She led Barry around by the hand to catch them, becoming  _ entranced _ by them before letting them go, and she brought a few back to show him, as if waiting for his opinion.

“Pretty, huh?”

“Just like  _ you, _ ” Barry murmured in his gentlest voice.

She smiled about it, all red in the face and giggling even though she couldn’t understand what he had to say, before handing Taako a firefly very seriously and letting the rest go. It was supposed to be some sort of wordless understanding, or maybe he was reading too much into it; it had been a long few days. But maybe he was entitled to some misguided hope every now and then.  Maybe he’d earned it, just for tonight.

He thanked her for it and then let it go.

When sleep finally came, it was surprisingly easy and forgiving.

Taako held his sister close and hoped for home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bet you thought this thing was *dead,* huh?? i kind of did too, but... i got struck with inspiration for it yesterday for some reason. so far it's just really soft and nice to write for some weird reason. i hope you guys like it and that this was sort of worth the wait. <3 thanks always to Eden for letting me play with this concept, and to the rest of you for being so rad! i do have more planned now i think, so. ya.

**Author's Note:**

> soooo i think this might be a multichapter thing and this is the prologue?? which it rly shouldn't be bc god i just juggle a million TAZfics at once but listen, if the universe wants me to stop, it should stop enabling me to put these twins in all sorts of situations. UM. EVEN IF IT ISN'T, THO, I HOPE YOU ENJOY WHAT I HAVE... shoutout once more to ToTillAGarden, who not only is writing a rad fic about this for Everyone, but is always supportive and rad and the best. <3 thx Eden and thx Discord!! love u all.


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